There are several types of thieves. None of them, obviously, are good. for the purpose of this message and for the sake of comparison, I am going to look at two types of thieves.
There is the "Snatch and Grab" Thief.
This thief's M.O is usually enrobed in cowardice. The snatch and grab thief is one that grabs the loot on the spur of the moment. Sometimes, he doesn't even have the intent to steal. It isn't planned. Something just happens to catch his attention, he covets it and decides for some reason that he has to have it. The "snatch and grab" thieves wait for a split second of opportunity (lack of attention on the part of the victim), grab their loot, and run. They make no eye contact with anyone. They don't strike up conversation with anyone. They draw as little attention to themselves as possible.
Another type of thief is a bit more skilled. for lack of a better title, I will refer to him as the "Casual/crafty" thief.
This thief is a little bit more relaxed. His M.O. is usually to work with a partner. He will watch or even stalk his victim. He will pay attention to the victim's schedule, watching their comings and goings. He pays attention to their habits. He will pay very close attention to detail. These thieves know what they want. They are focused on what they want and they will do what they have to to GET what they want. The things they steal are usually of significant value.
When operating in a store environment, the "casual thief" and his partner will subtly blend in to their surroundings. The decoy/distraction person will strike up a conversation with the salespeople and keep their attention focused on something else while the thief goes and gets the loot. They will make an excuse for why they don't want to purchase what they kept the salespeople busy with or will say that they will think about it and come back another time. Which, obviously, they never do.
Whether our lives are affected by the "snatch and grab" thief or the "crafty/casual" thief, the effect of the victimization can be devastting. We feel violated, cheated and afraid/untrusting. Some of us may even feel responsible... feeling that we may have done something to provoke the robbery.
After we have been robbed, we need to go through the healing process. This process is a slow one but it is a sure one.
There is a reason why I felt led to share this message with you today. The reason is this. Satan is a thief. God's Word tells us that the enemy comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy. When we get 'robbed' by the enemy, an automatic reaction is panic. We feel like a random victim. In the wrong place at the wrong time. While I'm sure that sometimes this is the case, usually, it isn't.
We need to be vigilant. The enemy is watching us. He is following us. He has his eye on something that we have and he wants it. It is our joy. Our peace. Our victory in Christ. He is paying very close attention to our schedules. He is watching our every move. Paying very close attention to how we act, move, react to people... etc. He is waiting for us to become distracted, even if only for a brief moment, so that he can sneak in and get a foothold in our lives. That's all he needs, brothers and sisters... one brief moment of distraction.
We need to pay close attention to our schedules and what we do with our time (especially idle time). We need to start every day in prayer, pleading the Blood and protection of our precious Savior, Jesus Christ, over ourselves and our loved ones. We need to hold firm to and confess God's promises in our lives, praising Him unceasingly. We need to maintain eye contact with people and convey the love of the Lord. It's what we're called to do.
Take your thoughts captive in the Lord. Your temptation to sin also. Both of these things are distractions. Anything that takes our focus off of God, anything that doesn't line up with His Word is a distraction. These are the very distractions that the prince of darkness is waiting for in order to get a foothold in our lives to try to remove our peace from us.
Be vigilant. Praise God, Your Rather, in ALL things...in ALL circumstances... BE NOT AFRAID... do not be enslaved to shame, guilt, or fear. Rejoice in the Lord...ALWAYS ....
Don't let yourselves be robbed of the precious gifts that the Lord has for you.
God bless you.
Kel
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